title: Root canal systems in mandibular first premolars with C-shaped root configurations. Part I: Microcomputed tomography mapping of the radicular groove and associated root canal cross-sections.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the morphology of the radicular grooves and root canal cross-sections in mandibular first premolars that exhibit a C-shaped root. Eighty-six mandibular first premolars with C-shaped roots were scanned from the coronal to anatomical apex using microCT80. The location, length, and depth of the radicular grooves were measured. The cross-sectional morphology of root canal systems was evaluated at 11 levels. Results were subject to the Kruskal-Wallis test. Of the 86 C-shaped roots, a total of 93 radicular grooves were noted. Most of the grooves (78.5%) were located on the mesiolingual surface of the root. The C-shaped canal could vary considerably in shape at different levels, and the incidence of two canals at the middle and apical was 21% and 80%, respectively. This study shows that radicular grooves may present relevant morphologic variations in the root canal system when the C-shaped root is present.
authors.affiliation: Key Lab for Oral Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Endodontic Center, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China. Electronic address: bingfan8@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Key Lab for Oral Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Endodontic Center, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, Baylor College of Dentistry, Texas A&M University system Health Science Center, Dallas, TX.
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Gutmann
authors.affiliation: Key Lab for Oral Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Endodontic Center, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Mingwen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D019412:Anatomy, Cross-Sectional; D044466:Asian People; D001641:Bicuspid / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002681:China; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008334:Mandible; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography